Exploring Gender Equality in Creative Leadership: Real Talk – The Creatives Edition

Women in Marketing Africa is hosting the fourth session in the Real Talk Series, titled The Creatives Edition, a platform for honest dialogue on gender equality within the creative sector. This discussion will centre on the unique challenges women face in pursuing and establishing themselves in leadership roles across advertising, marketing, and other creative fields.

Key themes and insights

This session aims to go beyond surface-level discussions to address the real hurdles facing female creative leaders in today’s industry. Featuring seasoned female creatives who have built successful careers in a highly competitive, male-dominated space, the conversation will focus on:

• Finding role models (or not): Many young women in creative fields struggle with a lack of female mentors and role models. Panelists will discuss how they navigated this gap, often becoming mentors themselves.

• The Freelance Hustle: With self-employment common in creative industries, our speakers will share insights on the challenges women face in freelance roles, including self-promotion, visibility, and negotiating fair compensation.

• Battling stereotypes and pay gaps: Gender-based stereotypes and pay inequities are pervasive issues in the creative sector. Panelists will explore how these factors impact women’s career advancement and discuss ways to challenge the norms that hold them back.

• Advice for emerging female creatives: Drawing from their journeys, speakers will offer practical advice for younger women navigating their careers, including building networks, seeking allies, and advocating for inclusivity.

• Highlighting African women’s voices: This session will also focus on the importance of representation for African women in creative industries, discussing how to support diverse voices and perspectives in a global industry.

Why this matters now

As gender equality gains ground globally—with the percentage of female creative directors in the U.S. rising from 3% to 29% thanks to initiatives like the 3% Movement—this session is timely for Africa’s creative industries, where more progress is needed. Attendees will gain a nuanced understanding of the changes required to foster gender equality, while learning about the progress achieved and the challenges that still remain.

Event Details
Date: 3rd December 2024
Time: 2pm GMT
Register here